Classic Christmas Pudding

A Traditional British Steamed Holiday Dessert That Would Make Dickens Proud

This vegan version of the classic Christmas Pudding keeps all the coziness, fragrance, and old-world charm of the original—but without the animal products (typically chicken’s eggs and lard, which is rendered pig fat). It’s rich, delicious, and quintessentially British (and Christmas).

Christmas Pudding with Maple Syrup Glaze

Because our Christmas Dinner theme this year is Victorian-inspired, I’ve been testing Christmas puddings for weeks, and I’m really proud of where I’ve landed. I even brought this one to a neighborhood gathering, and everyone raved about it!

Christmas Pudding—also known as Plum Pudding, though it contains no plums (the word “plum” once meant dried fruit)—is one of the most iconic holiday desserts in the English-speaking world. And just to note: in the U.K., “pudding” refers to a steamed, cake-like dessert, not the creamy custard-style pudding familiar in the U.S. The closest American equivalent would be a fruitcake, though Christmas Pudding is steamed rather than baked and has a softer, richer texture.

What began in the Middle Ages as a humble porridge evolved over centuries into the rich, fruit-studded steamed pudding we know today. By the Victorian era, it was the star of the Christmas table. Dickens helped cement its place in the holiday imagination—his description in A Christmas Carol makes it feel almost inseparable from Christmas itself.

I hope you love this pudding as much as I do. If you give it a try, please let me know in the comments!

Ingredients

• 8–10 medium Medjool dates, pitted and chopped

• 1½ cups raisins

• 1 cup dried cranberries

• ⅓ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger

• ¼ cup currants

• ⅓ cup dried citrus peel (orange or lemon)

• 3 tablespoons brandy or cognac

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• Zest and juice of 1 large orange or 2 smaller citrus fruits (such as mandarins, satsumas, or clementines)

• ½ cup melted nondairy butter

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon nutmeg

• ½ teaspoon allspice

• ½ teaspoon salt

• 3 tablespoons Just Egg (equal to 1 chicken’s egg)

• ¾ cup nondairy buttermilk (plant milk + a little lemon juice or vinegar)

• 1¼ cups roughly chopped pecans

• ½ cup dry bread crumbs

• 1¼ cups all-purpose flour

• ¼ cup maple syrup for glazing (optional)

Directions

1. Prepare your pudding bowl.
Choose a heatproof bowl (any shape) that holds about 1½–2 quarts (6–8 cups) and grease it generously with nondairy butter. A traditional British pudding basin is optional—any glass, ceramic, or stainless-steel bowl works as long as it’s heat-safe and fits inside your pot with the lid on. A round bowl with sloped sides unmolds most easily, but the pudding will take the shape of whatever bowl you use.

One example of a pudding bowl

2. Combine the fruit.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the chopped dates, raisins, currants, cranberries, crystallized ginger, and dried peel. Add the brandy or cognac, maple syrup, orange zest, and orange juice. Stir well.

NOTE: You can let the dried fruit soak in the brandy or cognac for a few hours—or even overnight—if you want a deeper flavor. Since the finished pudding would ideally rest overnight, soaking isn’t really necessary, but it’s totally up to you if you want to soak the fruit at this stage. Also, if you prefer to skip the alcohol, simply replace it with extra orange juice.

3. Add the wet ingredients.
Next, pour in the melted nondairy butter and mix until everything is coated. Stir in the Just Egg and the nondairy buttermilk (made by mixing plant milk with a little lemon juice or vinegar).

4. Add the dry ingredients.
Mix in the cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, salt, pecans, bread crumbs, and flour. Stir until everything is fully combined—the batter will be very thick and sticky.

5. Transfer to the pudding bowl.
Spoon the batter into the prepared bowl and press it down so the surface is even.

6. Wrap the bowl tightly.
Place a circle of parchment over the top, then cover with two layers of plastic wrap and two layers of foil. Tie a piece of string snugly around the bowl to keep everything securely sealed.

(Optional but ideal) Refrigerate the wrapped pudding for 8 hours or overnight to let the flavors deepen.

7. Set up the steamer.
When you’re ready to steam your pudding, place a ramekin, trivet, or even a small inverted saucer at the bottom of a large soup pot (or Dutch oven). This keeps the bowl slightly elevated so the pudding steams evenly without scorching on the bottom.

Set the wrapped pudding on top of the ramekin, then pour water into the pot until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the bowl.

8. Steam the pudding.
Cover the pot and bring the water to a boil. Once boiling, reduce heat to medium and steam for 3 hours, checking every hour to add more water if needed.

9. Unmold the pudding.
Carefully lift the bowl out of the pot. Remove the string, foil, plastic wrap, and parchment. Place a plate over the bowl and invert to release the pudding.

10. Finish and serve.
Brush the top with warm maple syrup if you’d like a glossy finish. Slice and serve warm on its own or with nondairy vanilla ice cream or a plant-based custard-style cream.

Enjoy this video of me un-molding my finished pudding!

Additional Resources

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Questions? Comments? Thoughts?